The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust

Substance Care Practitioner

The closing date is 01 June 2025

Job summary

As a Substance Care Practitioner in the Substance Care Team (SCT) you will be involved in a system of alcohol and drug screening and brief interventions, fibro-scanning patients, treatment of acute alcohol withdrawal in line with NICE-based protocols for the management of alcohol misuse. As part of the SCT team you will also deliver Substance Care training for nursing, medical and other frontline staff within the hospital.

Main duties of the job

As an integral member of the SCT you will: Help improve the extent to which substance misuse is identified and effectively managed in those admitted to all wards and departments within PGH aiming to reduce the rate of attendance at A & E and subsequent admissions to inpatient beds. Provide assessment, specialist alcohol advice and treatment to patients attending and admitted to PGH. Provide support and training, to promote improved competency and confidence among medical and nursing staff in identifying and responding to substance misuse and the clinical management of patients. Help facilitate the effective and safe transition of care between hospital and community based settings and will ensure any pharmacological element of care is transferred in a safe and seamless manner. Through effective care planning, promote opportunities for sustained recovery from dependant and problematic alcohol misuse. You will be expected to liaise closely with other health and social care professionals to ensure high quality care and a coordinated approach are provided for patients.

About us

We are an acute trust caring for over one million people in Wakefield and Kirklees. Our 10,000 staff members work in patients homes, the community, and our three hospitals in Pontefract, Dewsbury, and Pinderfields (Wakefield). Committed to continuous improvement, we prioritise our people and values so we can deliver excellent patient experience. Our team is friendly, passionate and always seeking better ways to work through research and innovation. We support work-life balance and foster a diverse, inclusive environment where everyone belongs. Our staff networks offer safe spaces for honest conversations and to share ideas, thoughts and concerns so we can increase awareness and appreciation of equality, diversity, and inclusion. As a member of the team, you will have access to the NHS pension plan, a generous holiday allowance, employee health and wellbeing services and extensive benefits and support. These include onsite nurseries, childcare vouchers, car lease and home electronics schemes, working carers support, carer-friendly policies, and more. If you value caring, high standards, improvement, and respect, join the MY team to make a difference every day.

Details

Date posted

20 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

000328

Job locations

Pinderfields Hospital

Wakefield

West Yorkshire

WF1 4DG


Job description

Job responsibilities

Key requirements

Clinical

  • Utilise the SCT screening system within the triage/clinical assessments in both the emergency department and ward based settings.
  • Follow referral and operating procedures to facilitate timely and appropriate referrals into clinics.
  • Deliver high quality and effective assessment to ensure the relevant treatment is offered in a timely manner, through use of assessment and evidenced based interventions, care planning and clinical management.
  • Undertaking specialist, diagnostic fibro-scanning of patients on a regular basis and liaise with wider medical team regarding the outcome.
  • Review and implement NICE based treatment programmes for the management of alcohol misusers within an acute setting to manage detoxification, helping to improve outcomes for patients and to aid sustained recovery form dependent and problematic alcohol misuse.
  • Facilitate the safe and effective transition of an individuals' care for both detoxification and aftercare to maintain abstinence and with a smooth handover to community services, primary care, and any other specialist service if appropriate to do so.
  • Improve care pathways between the acute setting and community settings.
  • Deliver in partnership brief and extended advice with all MYTT MDTs.
  • Be a visible point of contact for patients, visitors, relatives, and staff, acting as a resource for problems and able to clearly present/advocate the patients / client’s perception of needs as appropriate. Receive and report to senior staff any complaints or compliments received.
  • Work with the team to ensure that patient care plans are regularly updated, changes implemented, and that patients' records and documentation are maintained and current.
  • Organise MDTs to discuss patient management as required.
  • Undertake audits and quality improvement projects
  • Signpost patients with substance misuse to the relevant external agencies
  • Participate in the ongoing reviews of operating policies for assessment, treatment and care in ward-based settings and the ED ensuring they are embedded into practice.
  • Assist with providing specialist support to the clinical team in dealing with the complex needs of different client groups and when imparting or receiving sensitive, complex, or contentious information.

 

 

 

 

 

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key requirements

Clinical

  • Utilise the SCT screening system within the triage/clinical assessments in both the emergency department and ward based settings.
  • Follow referral and operating procedures to facilitate timely and appropriate referrals into clinics.
  • Deliver high quality and effective assessment to ensure the relevant treatment is offered in a timely manner, through use of assessment and evidenced based interventions, care planning and clinical management.
  • Undertaking specialist, diagnostic fibro-scanning of patients on a regular basis and liaise with wider medical team regarding the outcome.
  • Review and implement NICE based treatment programmes for the management of alcohol misusers within an acute setting to manage detoxification, helping to improve outcomes for patients and to aid sustained recovery form dependent and problematic alcohol misuse.
  • Facilitate the safe and effective transition of an individuals' care for both detoxification and aftercare to maintain abstinence and with a smooth handover to community services, primary care, and any other specialist service if appropriate to do so.
  • Improve care pathways between the acute setting and community settings.
  • Deliver in partnership brief and extended advice with all MYTT MDTs.
  • Be a visible point of contact for patients, visitors, relatives, and staff, acting as a resource for problems and able to clearly present/advocate the patients / client’s perception of needs as appropriate. Receive and report to senior staff any complaints or compliments received.
  • Work with the team to ensure that patient care plans are regularly updated, changes implemented, and that patients' records and documentation are maintained and current.
  • Organise MDTs to discuss patient management as required.
  • Undertake audits and quality improvement projects
  • Signpost patients with substance misuse to the relevant external agencies
  • Participate in the ongoing reviews of operating policies for assessment, treatment and care in ward-based settings and the ED ensuring they are embedded into practice.
  • Assist with providing specialist support to the clinical team in dealing with the complex needs of different client groups and when imparting or receiving sensitive, complex, or contentious information.

 

 

 

 

 

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Please click apply now to view the full person specification (there is no obligation to submit an application).
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Please click apply now to view the full person specification (there is no obligation to submit an application).

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust

Address

Pinderfields Hospital

Wakefield

West Yorkshire

WF1 4DG


Employer's website

https://www.midyorks.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust

Address

Pinderfields Hospital

Wakefield

West Yorkshire

WF1 4DG


Employer's website

https://www.midyorks.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Sister

Jessica Child

jessica.child1@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

20 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

000328

Job locations

Pinderfields Hospital

Wakefield

West Yorkshire

WF1 4DG


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